Product Overview

Summary: This Underground Services Detection Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, step-by-step process for locating and protecting underground utilities before any excavation or ground penetration work begins. It helps Australian businesses prevent service strikes, protect workers from serious harm, and maintain compliance with WHS and utility protection requirements.

Underground services such as electricity, gas, water, telecommunications, sewer and data lines present a significant risk whenever excavation, drilling or penetration works are planned. A single service strike can cause serious injury or fatality, major service outages, environmental harm and costly project delays. This Underground Services Detection Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, defensible process for identifying, locating, marking and protecting underground assets before any soil is disturbed, in line with Australian WHS obligations and industry best practice.

The SOP guides your team from pre-planning and Dial Before You Dig (DBYD/Before You Dig Australia) enquiries through to on-site verification using plans, locating equipment and potholing. It defines clear responsibilities, required competencies, and the controls needed to manage high‑risk work, including no-go zones, exclusion areas, permits and escalation when services cannot be confidently located. By implementing this procedure, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of underground service strikes, improve coordination with asset owners, and demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers.

This document is designed for construction, civil, utilities, maintenance and facilities environments across Australia. It supports consistent training and onboarding, reduces reliance on informal knowledge, and provides a practical, step-by-step field reference that integrates with existing SWMS, permits to dig and project risk assessments.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of underground service strikes that can cause serious injury, fatalities or major asset damage.
• Ensure a consistent, repeatable process for service detection across all projects and sites.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and duty of care for excavation and ground penetration work.
• Improve coordination with utility providers and asset owners, minimising delays and disputes.
• Support effective training, induction and competency assessment for workers involved in excavation and locating activities.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Project Managers
• Civil Engineers
• Construction Managers
• Excavator and Plant Operators
• Surveyors and Locators
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Facilities and Asset Managers
• Utility Coordination Officers
• Maintenance Team Leaders

Hazards Addressed

• Electrocution from contact with underground electrical cables
• Explosion or fire from contact with underground gas lines
• Flooding or high-pressure fluid release from water and sewer mains
• Striking fibre optic and telecommunications cables leading to service outages and project claims
• Ground collapse or instability due to unplanned excavation around services
• Damage to critical infrastructure causing environmental contamination (e.g. sewer, fuel, chemical lines)
• Manual handling and musculoskeletal injuries during potholing and hand excavation around services
• Vehicle and plant interaction risks in congested service corridors and marked exclusion zones

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations (including BYDA, potholing, positive identification)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Pre-Start Planning and Risk Assessment for Underground Services
• 6.0 Dial Before You Dig / BYDA Enquiries and Plan Management
• 7.0 Site Verification of Underground Services (plans, markings, surveys)
• 8.0 Use of Locating Equipment (GPR, electromagnetic locators, cable locators)
• 9.0 Potholing and Non-Destructive Digging (NDD) Procedures
• 10.0 Establishing Exclusion Zones, No-Go Areas and Control Measures
• 11.0 Working Near Identified Underground Services (safe approach distances and methods)
• 12.0 Permit to Dig / Ground Penetration Permit Integration
• 13.0 Communication with Utility Providers and Asset Owners
• 14.0 Emergency Response and Incident Reporting for Service Strikes
• 15.0 Training, Induction and Competency Assessment
• 16.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement of the Procedure
• 17.0 Document Control and Recordkeeping Requirements

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and relevant state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and equivalent state/territory regulations (Excavation and Construction Work)
• Safe Work Australia – Excavation Work Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Construction Work Code of Practice
• AS/NZS 3000: Electrical installations (Wiring Rules)
• AS 4799: Installation of underground utility services and pipelines within easements and road reserves (where applicable)
• AS 5488: Classification of subsurface utility information
• Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) guidelines and conditions of use
• AS/NZS ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems